Will Wisconsin be our Greece?
The bill that restricts collective bargaining for public service unions has been passed in the Wisconsin Senate and the protesters were carried out of the capital building by Madison police, while Wisconsin Republicans receive death threats and there are rumblings of a general strike.
There is no question that this is a front in a larger war. How bad it will get is anyone’s guess, but the unions big shots are well aware of what is at stake. That’s why so much outside money and so many outside agitators have been thrown into the fight. It’s also why Democrat senators have been so desperate to get their way that they’ve taken the unprecedented step (at least, as far as I know) of leaving the state rather than let the democratic process go forward in the usual manner. And although President Obama has been silent lately (as is often his wont), he tends to go quiet while letting others do the dirty work for him.
Outside of the true believers (the liberal ~20% of the population) does anyone really think that this Great Wisconsin Tantrum is something for the Dems/unions to be proud of?
The Wisconsin legislature had better get on passing a concealed carry law — for their own protection.
Check out James Taranto’s take on it:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704823004576192433527044852.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_MIDDLESecond
Takeaway quote:
“President Obama could find himself obligated to put down a genuine insurrection by his own political supporters”
As T says…. it really does look like a bunch of 2-year olds holding their breaths (the Dem senators), and throwing major temper tantrums (the “protestors”).
Has 50% of the population become so infantile that they throw hissy fits when the adults won’t let them have their way?
It would seem so.
In a word, yes.
No, it’s California’s job to be our Greece.
Can anybody tell me what ABCCBSNBCCNN is reporting.
I’m afraid to watch.
When I see what is happening on the ground with Althouse – I’m appalled at the level of ——- ignorance.
OFA is coordinating with Trumka’s thugs on behalf of the White House. All one needs to do is take a look at the OFA website. Here in Wisconsin, the Public-Sector Unions are trying to strong-arm businesses. http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/117756068.html
Death threats and other intimidation are all over the place here. We have become “third-world-ish”
“they’ve taken the unprecedented step (at least, as far as I know) of leaving the state rather than let the democratic process go forward in the usual manner. ”
This happened in Texas a few years back….
guess which party…
Reminds me of a quote attributed to the late Linda Bowles~
In this case it’s the state nipple, but so true nonetheless.
jon baker,
RE: Texas. If memory serves, the Dems lost big in the subsequent because of that very act.
subsequent election because of that very act.
Oh, I’d love to see them call a general strike.
The sound of crickets chirping would be deafening.
I was just over at Althouse reading the account of the Great Tantrum.
Question. Does anyone think that these people are the late stage version of the liberals who took over all of those computer centers in the 1960s/1970s?
I think Wisconsin “was” (it’s over now) Gettysburg.
I think we won.
We need our Lincoln and his address.
Things are going to get much worse, however, before the victory sets in and is sealed.
We are in a war. We need fighters and good generals. I heard Christie today. He totally wimped out of the larger battle. He gets smaller by the day for me.
Who will lead this thing? There is only even one person willing right now – Palin. Therefore, in my book she gets the job. The rest of them had their chances and declined. They want gentility. They will lose. We need to win, therefore we will win. The alternative – no America – is unthinkable.
Am I the only one who ever heard of Joan of Arc?
4 Score and seven Czars ago….
Yes, Gettysburg. Bloody, hard fought, close, and it’s all downhill from here for the other side.
Wisconsin is a fight that the left and the public unions can’t walk away from and they can’t win.
They could only win as long as they can keep their profile and activities low. The more it’s pushed into the public eye the worse for them. What they’ve been doing smells and is ugly and dishonest and can’t stand inspection.
But like Pickett they believe in the confrontation and will charge forward right into a buzz saw.
I saw a sidebar headline at Ace of Spades a while ago for an article somewhere that compared Wisconsin to the Boston Massacre and Harper’s Ferry.
I meant to read the article, but it’s gone now. It sounded like an intriguing comparison.
I can’t see Wisconsin as Gettysburg. The Civil War had already been raging full tilt for two years before that, with oceans of blood already shed.
But Boston Massacre and Harper’s Ferry? Yes, I can see that. They were both harbingers of what was to come.
The practice of legislators staying away to keep the body from attaining a quorum to conduct business has an old history; indeed, that’s why most jurisdictions now provide for the forced attendance of enough members to have a quorum (and, thus, the need for Wisconsin’s Democratic senators to flee the jurisdiction of their state’s police by hiding out in Illinois).
No less than Abraham Lincoln tried the trick himself, to no avail in the particular circumstance. He and his fellow Whigs were trying to keep the Illinois House of Representatives from final adjournment, but they had lost track of how many members were present. A roll call found a quorum, and Lincoln and two fellow Whigs jumped out a window forthwith! It didn’t matter though: once a quorum is attained, it can’t be lost by the departure of members (else, voting could be prevented that way all the time). It must have been tough to live that down. 🙂
http://www.thelincolnlog.org/view/1840/12/5
Good anecdote about Lincoln. Though he wasn’t too fastidious about violating our Constitution, either.
I was at the Gates of Vienna, and someone mentioned this great war leader. Would that we had someone of his stature now! Can you imagine this voice, these cadences, in our current public life?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utv9rCHlpkM&NR=1
Didn’t I hear that they are changing the title for the chief executive to Present Obama? There seems little need for the I and D. What is intent and decision making when one can vote present.
I’m still laughing uncontrollably at 100K + bus drivers.
Sorry, but I am laughing AT Wisconsin, not with Wisconsin.
The missing Dem legislators should be fired. Even though they are elected, they should still be able to be FIRED by the people. We should be able to vote on it.
Emailer who is threatening to kill the Republican Senators and their families.
http://wizbangblog.com/content/2011/03/11/please-put-your-things-in-order-because-you-will-be-killed.php
Here’s a word to the wise:
http://redwhitebluenews.com/?p=16246
Please read and pass along as appropriate!
unions threaten businesses
http://www.620wtmj.com/shows/charliesykes/117764004.html?blog=y
fascism …
A lot of great, and humorous comments….
helvetica,
I read the same Taranto article and agree this smells of insurrection. Let the games begin.
Mike Mc says, “Things are going to get much worse.. ”
Total agreement.
Beverly,
As odious and offensive to human dignity as slavery was (and still is) Lincoln had no respect for the Constitution. States are sovereign members of the union (by consent). The slave states signed on to membership with the understanding (in the Constitution) that slavery was legal. States as sovereign entities were/are free to disassociate. In 1865 slavery was making less and less economic sense. Instead of a war, Lincoln should have offered to buy each and every slave at market value. It would have been much less costly in terms of dollars and blood. It was all about enforcing the supremacy of DC over the states.
Artflgdgr says, “4 score and 7 czars ago”
Great zinger!
Illinois will be our ‘Greece’ first and all other states had better get in line if they want to be ‘Greece’ after the Land of Lincoln.
Parker, you are right about Lincoln! it was all about forcing the Southern states to bow the neck to Washington. Which is why the Southerners called it our second “war for independence.” But we obviously didn’t get to write the history books.
General Longstreet was right — We should have freed the slaves and THEN fired on Fort Sumter.
Suek:
Here’s a word to the wise:
http://redwhitebluenews.com/?p=16246
BRILLIANT! that’s a great account of the dirty tricks the Leftist protestors used, and how the Ohio patriots countered them — successfully.
That link should be forwarded to everyone who is considering making a public appearance in support of our causes, especially when they expect to have the Left doing a counter-demonstration.
Pass it on, indeed!